Several Discourses Considering the Providence of God, Discourse · Part 2 · Sermon 23
SERMON XXIII.
Pſal. CVII. 43.
Whoſo is wiſe and will obſerve theſe things, even they ſhall underſtand the loving-kindneſs of the Lord.
I Am in a diſcourſe about the obſervable things of Divine Providence. When do you think, ſhall I have finiſhed it? Day unto day uttereth ſpeech, night unto night declareth knowledg. When I have ſaid all that I can, I muſt conclude with Job, Lo theſe are parts of his ways, but how little a portion of him do we underſtand? However, it is wonderfully ſweet to know the leaſt of God. If a learned man could think it worth his while to write a book of the admiranda Nili, the admirable and obſervable things of the famous River of Nile; What a book might be written, and how much worth a pen-mans hand would it be, to write a book, and call it, Admiranda, or Obſervanda Providentiae Divinae, the admirable and obſervable things of Divine Providence? But leaving Prefaces, I proceed to a ninth Obſervation, which is this:
Obſerv. 9. The Providence of God often repayeth both good and evil, and eſpecially charity and cruelty in this life in its own kind, 1 Cor. 3.8. 2 Cor. 5.10. That God will reward every man according to his works, is moſt certain, and is a piece of Divine Juſtice; he cannot condemn the innocent, nor clear the guilty, there will be a now when God will viſit for all ſin: and though ſinners do evil an hundred years, yet the day of vengeance will come. And to let us know the certainty of it, oftentimes the Prophets of God in the denouncing of judgments yet a far off, cryed out, It is come, It is come; and gave the alarum, as if the enemy had already entred the gates. But God doth not recompence all ſinners in this life: Judgment comes afterward. But for thoſe whom God doth chaſtiſe in this life, he doth not puniſh them all the ſame way; ſome are puniſhed with temporal judgments, and thoſe ſome of them of one ſort, ſome of another: others he puniſheth with ſpiritual judgments, blindneſs of mind, hardneſs of heart. And it is the ſame caſe for rewards of grace, ſome have little reward for all their ſervice for God, until they come in Heaven; others are rewarded in this life, but in different manners. The Obſervation which I am making, concerneth charity and mercy, and the vices oppoſite to it, ſuch as are, cruelty, hardheartedneſs to thoſe in want and miſery. In theſe caſes I obſerve Gods Providence often retaliates. I ſay, 1. The Providence of God doth often recompence other ſins in this manner, but eſpecially ſins againſt charity and brotherly love. God many times repayeth other ſins in their kind: our Saviour by this argument diſſuades from raſh cenſuring, and cenſorious judging of others, Matth. 7.1, 2. For with what judgment you judg, you ſhall be judged: and with what meaſure you mete, it ſhall be meted to you again. (A text which if well thought upon, ſhould deter Chriſtians from the too common practice of cenſuring and judging one another) eſpecially in doubtful things, where they are not of a mind; as if ſincerity and uprightneſs were the Prerogative of a party in Religion, or annexed to ſome particular forms. You know God threatned David for his adultery with Bathſheba, That he would take his wives before his eyes, and give them to his neighbour, and he ſhould lye with his wives in the ſight of the Sun, 2 Sam. 12.11. and it was fulfilled by the permiſſion (though not by the inſtigation) of Divine Providence, in 2 Sam. 16.22. Spoiling and plundering of others, taking away their goods without a juſt warrant from God, is another ſin we find thus threatned, Iſa. 33.1. Wo to thee that ſpoileſt, and thou wert not ſpoiled; thoſe that thou ſo rifledſt, never did thee any wrong; and dealeſt treacherouſly, and they dealt not treacherouſly with thee: when thou ſhalt ceaſe to ſpoil, thou ſhalt be ſpoiled, and when thou ſhalt make an end to deal treacherouſly, they ſhall deal treacherouſly with thee. But that indeed referreth to the more ſpecial obſervation, as to ſins oppoſite to that Charity we ſhould exerciſe to our brethren, to which I now come. I ſay it is very obſervable, that God puniſheth ſins againſt charity, and rewardeth deeds, and acts of charity in their kind, ſecundum legem Talionis, ordinarily giving the Authors of both like for like. I will firſt ſhew it you in the motions of Providence, as to the execution of Vindicative Juſtice, in the puniſhment of ſins againſt Charity. Againſt which men may ſin, either by omiſſions, hardening their hearts from their brother in diſtreſs, not relieving him when it is in their power, according to their ability; or by commiſſions: murders, oppreſſions, cruelty, are all ſins againſt Charity. 1. For omiſſions. It is a dreadful text, Prov. 21.13. He that ſtoppeth his ear againſt the cry of the poor, he alſo ſhall cry himſelf, and ſhall not be heard. A text worth deliberating upon by thoſe who find their hearts ſo ſhut up in cafes of Charity: not that we are bound to hear the cry of all that are poor. There are ſome poor, that the greateſt act of Charity we can ſhew them, is not to relieve them, that they may learn not to be idle, and wander up and down begging, refuſing to work. The poor we are concerned in, are Gods poor; I hope we favour none that are lazy, idle, or leud, and by that means bring themſelves to, and continue themſelves at a morſel of bread: far be it from me, or any Miniſter of Jeſus Chriſt, to plead for ſuch. You from us hear the cries of the Lords poor, take heed of ſtopping your ears at their cry, remember Solomons word, Gods word by Solomon: He that doth ſo, he alſo ſhall cry, and not be heard: you may alſo come into ſuch a condition, or you may have a child may come to it through age, through Gods hand upon him. You remember the ſtory of Naomi, ſhe went out full, ſhe returned empty; the ſtory of Job, and others in Scripture. I could tell you the ſtories of Beliſarius, of divers perſons of far greater eſtates (ſome of them), than any that hear me this day, yet brought to live upon the baskets of others: who knows what you or yours may come to? Do you think the great fire at London 1666, that at Northampton but the laſt year; That at a Town in this County two or three years ago, at Cottenham in Cambridg-ſhire the other day, hath not given many inſtances of this nature? (for God of late hath very remarkably contended with England, as by ſuch a plague, as our forefathers never knew; ſo by a multitude of ſuch devouring fires, for number and greatneſs not to be parallel'd). God make us to underſtand his Rod, and how many ways he is as a moth unto England, ſecretly, and gradually, and almoſt irreparably devouring and deſtroying us. This maketh our days full of the cry of the poor: God grant we be not alſo full of ſuch as ſtop their ears at the cry of the poor, either giving nothing, or in no proportion to relieve them. I wiſh we could conſider and remember that Text, and think what may be our portion, and do as we would be done by, and remember, God often puniſheth this uncharitableneſs in its kind. Men of hardhearts in proſperity, (ordinarily) meet with hard-hearts in their adverſity; with what meaſure they mete to others, it is meted unto them again. The Apoſtle, Gal. 6.1. perſwadeth the reſtoring of a brother fallen in the ſpirit of meekneſs, and uſeth this Topick, Conſidering thy ſelf, leſt thou alſo be tempted. And to the Hebrews he ſpeakes, To remember them that are bound, as bound with them: and them which ſuffer adverſity, as being your ſelves in the body, Heb. 13.2. There's much in thoſe words, Leſt thou alſo be tempted, and thoſe, as being your ſelves in the body. In caſes of true charity, Chriſtians, as they ſhould conſider other things, ſo they ſhould conſider, that they themſelves are in the body; they may loſe their eſtates, their health, their limbs; they are not in Heaven yet, they are in the world, and they are in the body; they are not meerly ſpirits invulnerable, impenetrable: Men ſhould think my houſe may be fired, and all I have loſt in an hour or two: I may loſe my eyes, my limbs, as this poor creature hath, I am in the body. So in thoſe words there's a great Emphaſis, Leſt thou alſo be tempted: Tempted, ſometimes ſignifies as much as afflicted, (though indeed in that Text it ſeems to ſignifie ſollicited to ſin, and overcome). God (ſaith the Apoſtle) for thy rigid dealing with thy brother, over-born with a temptation to ſin, may ſuffer the Devil to give thee a foil; would'ſt thou in ſuch a caſe be roughly dealt with thy ſelf? With what meaſure men mete to others, God meaſureth to them again. Let me ſay to you, take heed of omitting your duty in a charitable act, leſt thou alſo comeſt to be ſo afflicted, as to need others charity; and when thou art ſo, God ſhould repay thee in thy own kind, ſo ſtraiten mens hearts towards thee, that from perſons, from whom thou mighteſt have expected pounds, thou haſt not ſo many pence: think with thy ſelf how ſuch a thing would pleaſe you? Let me here give you two rules, which I think your Reaſons will all concur with.
1. It is a fooliſh thing for any perſon (in circumſtances of mortality) ſo to govern himſelf in his converſation, as if he were not ſubject to the common accidents of that ſtate. The Apoſtle ſaith of Elijah, That he was a man ſubject to like paſſions with other men: The Apoſtle ſpeaks of humane weakneſſes, ſinful infirmities; and God conſidereth that, and gives us allowances for it: and therefore though Job had many ill fits of impatience, when the hand of God was heavy upon him; yet God ſaith, Behold the patience of Job. We are all of us alſo ſubject to the ſame ſufferings, and the Apoſtle from this Topick, comforteth his Corinthians in thoſe firſt (and furious) times of the Goſpel, 1 Cor. 10.13. There hath no temptation taken you, but what is common to men. Now I ſay there is nothing more fooliſh, than for any of us in our converſation to govern our ſelves, as if we were not ſo, but out of the gun ſhot of the chaſtiſing Providence of God. Our bodies are ſubject to death, to ſickneſſes, to old age, and impotencies; our eſtates are expoſed to the fire, to the thief, to the mercileſs ſoldier, to the oppreſſor. Now for a man in his converſation to govern himſelf ſo, as if he were never to dye; as if he were never to be ſick; as if it were not poſſible that a fire ſhould devour his pleaſant things, that he or his ſhould not be brought to ſtraits, is no better than folly and madneſs.
2. It is as fooliſh a thing for a man to promiſe himſelf, that in caſe of ſuch accidents, others ſhould be kinder to him, than he hath been to others in the ſame circumſtances. We cannot ſo much as fancy ſuch a thing, without ſuppoſing them better-natured, or more gracious, either of which is at beſt a reproach to our ſelves. And this is but reaſonable for us to think, although we conſider not the influence of God in the caſe, who hath told us, That he who ſtoppeth his ear againſt the cry of the poor, he alſo ſhall cry, and not be heard; and hath the hearts of all men in his hand, and can eaſily ſhut them up (in judgment) againſt the cries of thoſe who have ſinfully ſtopped their ears againſt the cries of thoſe who have cried to them in their diſtreſs. Hence it follows, that it is but reaſonable for us in theſe caſes thus to conclude. I have now a fair eſtate, but it is ſubject to decay, a fire may conſume it in a moment, ſoldiers may devour it, either in my or my childrens days: I have now an healthy body, ſound and perfect limbs, I may grow ſickly, loſe my limbs, my ſenſes, and be brought into the condition of a receiver, who am now a giver. Why ſhould I think that any ſhould conſider me, or mine in ſuch circumſtances, more than I conſider others? Let me therefore do unto others, as I would have others do unto me: I have no reaſon to look, that it ſhould be meted to me again, better meaſure then I meaſure unto others. But I have dwelt too long upon this firſt, ſhewing you how the Providence of God doth often retaliate hard heartedneſs, by ſuffering the hearts of others to harden againſt men in ſtraits, who have ſtop't their ears againſt the cries of others to them in diſtreſs.
2. But there are other kinds of uncharitableneſs, which God doth ordinarily repay in their kind. Thoſe are acts, bearing the higheſt oppoſition to charity, tending to the utter ruin and deſtruction of their brethren: ſuch as murthers, cruelties, and barbarous and inhumane uſage of others. We ſhall find in the old Law, that God in divers caſes eſtabliſhed a law of Retaliation. If any miſchief followed ſuch a ſtriking a woman with child, as cauſed a miſcarriage, God ordained they ſhould give eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, ſtripe for ſtripe, Exod. 21.23, 24, 25. and in the caſe of a falſe witneſs there was ſuch a law, Deut. 19.16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. which you may read at your leiſure. It was Gods will, that a witneſs who had teſtified falſly againſt any man, (if he were once found a falſe witneſs) ſhould ſuffer the very ſame thing that the other ſhould have ſuffered. So that throughout all the Jewiſh period, the Providence of God did (ordinarily) execute this Juſtice by the hands of Magiſtrates. But you muſt not miſtake to think this rule of God was without exceptions; for oftentimes exceptions were made with reſpect to the quality of the perſons, and this by the Law of God, Exod. 21.16. He that curſed his father or mother, was to dye the death: that now was more than like for like: and ver. 26. If a maſter had ſtruck a ſervant, and put out his eye, the maſters puniſhment was only to manumit his ſervant, not to pay eye for eye: the reaſon was the diſparity of perſons. I might obſerve to you, that the Providence of God directed other Magiſtrates, then thoſe he ſet up amongſt his own people, to enact laws, to render like for like: in many caſes eſpecially, where offences were eminently againſt mercy and charity, (though with the like reſpect to perſons and other circumſtances) which is enough (by the way) to evidence the juſtice of ſuch laws in many caſes. But further, the Providence of God, in this retaliating ſins of this nature, is eminent in thoſe whom he took to puniſh with his own hand. In the caſe of Pharaoh, he cruelly cauſed the maleinfants of the Jewiſh children to be drowned; God cauſeth him, and his hoſt to be ſwallowed up in the red Sea. In the caſe of Adonibezek, Judg. 1.6. The Iſraelites took him, and cut off his thumbs, and great toes. You never read that the Iſraelites ſerved any Enemy ſo, either before or after that time; and doubtleſs what they did, was by an extraordinary inſtinct from God. Ver. 7. Adonibezek acknowledgeth the hand of God in it, Threeſcore and ten Kings (ſaith he) having their thumbs and great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table; as I have done, ſo God hath requited me, 1 Sam. 15.33. When Samuel cometh to ſlay Agag by Gods Commandment, obſerve what he ſaith, As thy ſword hath made many women childleſs: ſo this day thy mother ſhall be made childleſs as to thee, and he cut him in pieces before the Lord. And this is that which God hath ſaid, Rev. 13.10. He that leadeth into captivity, ſhall go into captivity: he that killeth with the ſword, ſhall be killed with the ſword: and in Rev. 18.6. ſpeaking of myſtical Babylon (by which our Forefathers have underſtood Rome, though late Authors have otherwiſe endeavoured to interpret it), and the fall of it, ſaith God, Reward her even as ſhe hath rewarded you, and double unto her double, according to her works; in the cup which ſhe hath filled, fill her double. You ſee ſtill thoſe whom God hath thus puniſhed from time to time, have ordinarily been great offenders againſt mercy and charity, great actors of cruelty; the wickedneſs of theſe men, God hath ordinarily retaliated, and payed them in their own kind. I have hitherto juſtified the firſt part of my obſervation, that God very ordinarily doth repay eminent ſinners againſt charity in their own kind; what hath been wanting, there's hardly any obſerving Chriſtian but will be able to make up in his daily obſervation; 'tis very ſeldom but God gives cruel and bloody, and miſchievous men blood to drink, and cruelty to digeſt; if he gives it not to them, he ordinarily doth it to their children, as he did to Saul, and to Ahab, and to Jehu. Sauls children were hang'd by David at Gods command, for his bloody houſe; Ahab's ſeventy Sons were ſlain for his bloodſhed and cruelty. And God repaid the blood which Jehu ſhed in Jeſreel, (though in it he executed Gods counſel) unto his children, as the Prophet ſaith expreſly. God gave Manaſſes his children (Joſiah only excepted) blood to drink, to requite him for his filling of Hieruſalem with innocent blood.
2. Let me now juſtifie the Obſervation as to the ſecond part of it. Gods retaliation of charity: Charity is a word of a very vaſt extent, and comprehendeth under it all acts of kindneſs done unto our brethren, ſtanding in need of our help. It is a ſaying I have met with ſomewhere, A man ſeldom himſelf experienceth in himſelf, that miſery which he hath truly felt in others. Many great and exceeding pretious promiſes are made to it, as if it were all Godlineſs; what the Apoſtle ſaith of Godlineſs, is applicable unto it. It hath promiſes both of this life, and that which is to come. Bleſſed are the merciful (ſaith our Saviour, Mat 5.7.) for they ſhall receive mercy: He that giveth to the poor ſhall not want, Prov. 28.22. I have been young (ſaith David) and now am old; yet I never ſaw the righteous forſaken, nor their ſeed begging their bread: he is ever merciful, and lendeth, and his ſeed is bleſſed. It were a great work to reckon up all the promiſes of this nature, made to mercy and charity, ſo many that the hardhearted, the niggardly-handed perſon, muſt neceſſarily be either an Atheiſt, or a notorious Unbeliever, either not believing there is any ſuch God, as the Scriptures ſpeak, or ſuch Scriptures as are the word of God; or not daring to truſt God upon his word; either of them hath a ſoul in ſtate bad enough. But my work is to ſhew you how the Providence of God juſtifieth this word. I told you before how David obſerved it in the whole courſe of his life, he never ſaw ſuch a man forſaken, nor his poſterity beggers. What an experience was that? he was a good man, a wiſe and obſerving man, much acquainted with the world; he had ſeen more than moſt of us, he lived to be an old man; he doth not ſay he had rarely ſeen, no, that was too little. I have been young, ſaith he, and now am old, I never ſaw the righteous forſaken. If you would know what righteous man he means, he telleth you, One that is ever merciful and lendeth. I think in this caſe we may as to the motions of Providence diſtinguiſh (as St. Paul doth in another caſe between a righteous man, and a good man, Rom. 5.) The Providence of God doth ſometimes ſo order it, that we ſee religious men, (though it is a hard task, I would not willingly be employed in it, to reconcile an hardneſs of heart in this kind to Religion); yet ſo it is, that we find ſometimes perſons, that in other things we cannot ſay, but they are devout, religious men, and juſt men, and (were it not for that of St. John, how dwelleth the love of God in him? after a very imperfect manner certainly; his brother can ſcarce tell how) for that of St. James: He that keeps the whole law, and (in the conſtant track and courſe of his life) offends but in one point, is guilty of all. One would think they had love for God, and were righteous men: yet when you come to them for an act of charity, oh it grateth them, a ſix-pence comes at two or three pulls, and with many a grudg and excuſe. You may poſſibly ſee ſuch a man decay (God diſtributes his eſtate, becauſe he would not), and ſuch a mans ſeed you may ſee begging bread: But for a good man, one that diſperſeth abroad, and gives to the poor, Prov. 3.9, 10. David never ſaw ſuch a mans ſeed begging their bread: and 'tis no wonder, thouſands of men grow poor by lending; but he that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord (ſaith Solomon): never any man loſt by that lending. The great God never yet failed, never yet was unfaithful. I could fill your ears with ſtories. I will only give you one or two. It is reported in the life of that famous Junius, Miniſter in France and Holland, he died but in the year 1602; he met with the Lot of many godly Divines in all ages, as well as ours, and came to be pinched with want, and reſolved for the ſupply of his neceſſities, every each day to dig in the Town-ditch. But ſee the Providence of God, there lived near a Taylor, a young man, whoſe Mother had in France lived near to this Junius's mothers houſe, and being very poor, Junius's mother had often relieved her. Her ſon remembreth this kindneſs, and though but a poor man, inviteth Junius to his houſe, and provideth meat and lodging for him for ſeven months. I could tell you many, and ſtrange ſtories of Gods repaying Charity in its kind, of little pieces of ſilver given in this kind, repaid with an hundred fold, even in this life. But this is an obſervation which juſtifieth it ſelf in the experience of every one of you. I ſhall rather ſhew you the reaſonableneſs of this motion of Divine Providence, which will be evident to you. I will open it to you in five particulars:
1. God doth this to evidence his general love to mankind, and ſpecial care of Providence for the needy, the poor, and the fatherleſs, the ſtranger, and the widow. Juſtice and Charity are the two pillars of the world, all humane ſociety is dependent upon them: Juſtice, becauſe as I told you before from Solomon, oppreſſion makes the wiſe-man mad, mens ſpirits will never be calm under a courſe of oppreſſion; hence Tyrants muſt have conſtant ſtanding-armies to ſecure their luſts. The Turkiſh Empire is little but injuſtice and oppreſſion, it could not ſtand but for his Janizaries. Charity is another pillar of the Earth, the reaſon is, becauſe as our Saviour told us, The poor we ſhall have always with us. Now God ſheweth his great love to ſocieties of men in eminent upholding of both theſe. And beſides, the Scripture ſpeaketh God to have taken the ſpecial patronage of the poor, and needy, the ſtranger, and widow, and fatherleſs. God doth this by raiſing them up friends, and it is a great means to raiſe them friends, to incourage them by ſenſible rewards, and that of the ſame kind.
2. It is neceſſary, that (as our Saviour oft ſaith) all righteouſneſs ſhould be fulfilled. The promiſes might have a being given them. I told you before, that the promiſes made to mercy and charitableneſs are very many; now ſome of theſe promiſes are made for a term within this life: He ſhall not lack (ſaith Solomon:) that muſt be a promiſe reſpecting reward in this life: and ſo for the threatnings againſt cruelty and hard-heartedneſs towards them in miſery, or that exerciſe any barbarous dealings towards their brother; ſo that it is neceſſary God ſhould in this life retaliate ſuch wickedneſs.
3. It is neceſſary for the terror of ſuch ſorts of ſinners. God himſelf gives this as one of his ends in eſtabliſhing the law of Retaliation in the caſe of falſe witneſſes, Deut. 19.16, 17, 18, 19, 20. And thoſe which remain, ſhall hear and fear, and from henceforth commit no ſuch evil more amongſt you. The moſt of men hearing that Adonibezek, who cut off ſo many Princes thumbs and great toes, came to be ſerved in the ſame kind himſelf, are afraid of ſuch kind of Inhumanity.
4. Again, It is neceſſary for the conviction of unbelievers. There are many ſins, againſt which there are dreadful Revelations of Divine Wrath in holy Writ, and the Providence of God gives them a being every day: but yet ſinners will not believe when they ſee the vengeance that comes upon them, that God deſigns to puniſh them for their unmercifulneſs and cruelty to their brethren; no, all things fall alike to all men, and thoſe that judg otherwiſe, are with them in no better repute, than as bold priers into the ſecrets of God, and judges of his Counſels. God therefore will pleaſe ſometimes to write their ſin in their plague. It ſhall be wrote over the Gallows fifty cubits high, upon which Haman was hanged: this was the Gallows which he prepared for Mordecay. The accuſers of the three Children ſhall be thrown into the ſame fiery furnace, which they had cauſed to be heated for the three children; and Daniel's accuſers into the ſame den of Lyons, in which they would have had him periſhed: He that leadeth into captivity, ſhall be led into captivity: and he that killeth with the ſword, ſhall be killed with the ſword. When men ſee this, if they will believe any thing, they will believe this.
5. Laſtly, It is alſo reaſonable, for the more perfect demonſtration of Gods favour to theſe exerciſes of grace and vertue. Our Saviour faith, All men have not faith. The moſt of men live, either meerly by ſenſe, or by reaſon. The promiſes of a reward of Heaven, are matters of faith A true believer, only from theſe, underſtands Gods favour to merciful men; his faith being the evidence of things not ſeen, indeed, evidenceth to him Gods love ſufficiently. Inward rewards of grace, are like the newname given unto the People of God, only known to them that have them. The moſt of men are acted by ſenſe, and convinced by that moſtly, (for in this cafe Reaſon will do little). God is therefore pleaſed to reward ſuch perſons to great degrees in this life, and that in the ſame kind too, that all the Earth may know what he will do for ſuch perſons. But I come to the Application, which I ſhall diſpatch in two branches, making it a foundation.
Ʋſe 1. Firſt, for Admonition to all that hear me, to take heed of theſe ſins. I would have you brethren take heed of all ſin, for the wages of every ſin is (without repentance) eternal death; but eſpecially take heed of ſins eminently againſt charity. Take heed of ſtopping your ears againſt the cry of the poor: God will be even with you; you, or yours ſhall cry, and not be heard. It is a woful folly for a man ſo to govern himſelf in his Converſation, as if he were not ſubject to changes; it ſpeaketh the man that doth it, to be void of underſtanding; and it is a moſt unreaſonable madneſs for a man to expect that from another, which himſelf would not do to another. Abraham checks Dives in the parable, for thinking that Lazarus ſhould go to fetch him a cup of cold water, when as he in his life-time would not afford him a cup of drink: take heed of cruelty, of falſe-witneſſing, of any eminent act of uncharitableneſs. Remember, he that ſheweth no mercy, when he comes to need it, ſhall have judgment without mercy for his portion. Take heed of perſecuting good people for their conſcience-ſake towards God; it may be you may take the advantage of a furious time, and plunder them a little, or get them impriſoned or oppreſſed, directly contrary to what is law and juſtice, or directly contrary to the higheſt law, which is the Law of God: but if you do, it is ten to one, but as your hands ſent many to bed, without bread for themſelves and their children to eat, to ſleep, without a bed to lye upon, to work, without a tool to work with; ſo God will find hands, ſhall requite it into your boſom: Or if you ſhould contribute to make the wives of your brethren widows, and their children, fatherleſs, and vagabonds, in a good ſenſe to ſeek bread out of deſolate places; God ere long will ſtand over your houſes, and ſay, Let theſe mens children be fatherleſs, and their wives widows: let their children be continual vagabonds in the earth, and beg, and let them ſeek their bread out of their deſolate places: Let the extortioners catch all they have, and let the ſtrangers ſpoil their labour: let there be none to extend mercy unto them, neither let there be any to favour their fatherleſs children: Let the iniquity of their fathers be remembred with the Lord. It was the curſe, Pſal. 109.9. And for what cauſe? they were adverſaries without a cauſe to David, while he gave himſelf unto prayer, ver. 4. They rewarded him evil for good, and hatred for his love. Oh! my heart akes to think what judgments many in theſe days have laid up for themſelves, and their wives and children: they have ſhewed no mercy, they, or ſome of theirs will find judgment without mercy: God hateth cruelty, and the ſons of violence his foul abhorreth.
Ʋſe 2. This obſervation calleth aloud to you for the exerciſes of charity and mercy. They are virtues, or graces, the exerciſes of which, God will not only certainly reward; but he maketh haſte to their reward, he ordinarily lets not their reward ſleep. As it is ſaid of ſome ſinners, Their damnation ſleepeth not: ſo as to ſome exerciſe of grace and vertue, it is ſuch a ſweet ſavour in the noſtrils of God, that their recompence ſhall not ſleep till the reſurrection. Let me not hear a mouth opened amongſt my brethren, nor ſee a purſe-ſtring tyed againſt an act of charity and mercy, it grateth upon my ears. Sirs, give me leave to tell you, that God never came more on borrowing, than he doth in this age. Troops of Robbers have robbed God: they have robbed his Servants, and God accounteth what is done to them, as done to himſelf. Anon it may be, before theſe are gone, another comes, and tells you, that ſuch a Town is burnt down to the ground, many hundred. Families undone, God ſends to you for ſome help for them. Anon another comes to tell you, God hath ſent to borrow a little of you for ſuch a poor ſervant of his, who hath not ſpent his eſtate in Luxury, but God hath blaſted him. Poſſibly God ſends another to you, to lend him a little for another, that is under the Phyſitians hand, or under the Surgeons hand, and hath ſpent all his or her eſtate. O lend it: He that gives to the poor, lends to the Lord, and he will repay. Say not (as many of you do) when ſuch come to borrow of you, as you have no mind to lend any too, Truly I have no money, I can ſpare from my neceſſary occaſions: When the truth is, thou haſt no money thou art willing to lend ſuch a perſon God ſends on borrowing to thee. He that hath given thee all that thou haſt, hath ſent to thee, to lend him a few ſhillings, a few pence, he hath ſent us his Miniſters upon his errand, or ſome poor ſervant of his; but he hath ſent us with a ticket under his hand, which thou knoweſt, thou owneſt his written word, his holy Scriptures: Say not thou haſt no money, if it be true indeed, it is a good excuſe; or none that thou canſt ſpare from thy neceſſary occaſions; if that be true too, it is a good excuſe: but take heed it be true (remember the caſe of Ananias and Saphira). What mean the bleating of the ſheep, and the lowing of the oxen? What mean thy garments of ſilk, thy coſtly laces, thy feaſting, thy faring deliciouſly every day? I do not blame theſe things, where there are eſtates to bear them out; ſoft rayment may be worn in Princes houſes: but then, ſay not thou haſt no money, no money for to buy a cap to keep thy brother from the cold, and yet money to buy a coſtly periwig? no money to help thy brother to buy ſo much bread, as to keep him from ſtarving? and yet haſt thou money to furniſh thy table with varieties and dainties? haſt thou no money to help a poor Chriſtian to buy cloathes to cover his nakedneſs? and yet haſt thou money to laviſh out to cloath thy ſelf and family with ſilks and fine linnen? haſt thou no money to lend to thy Lord, to relieve one of his priſoners? to buy them a bed to lye on, to recover them a ſeat to ſit down upon? and yet canſt thou find enough to buy thy ſelf a cupboard of plate, or the moſt coſtly houſholdſtuff? O take heed that God judgeth not, that thou haſt no heart, thou canſt not truſt that God thou ſo much talkeſt of, and art no more than a prating Chriſtian. But, my brethren, remember, that acts of mercy and charity, are ſuch as God ordinarily retaliateth in this life; it is ſeldom that God putteth men to truſt him to another world for rewards in theſe things. It is a time to ſpeak, and I muſt ſpeak in this caſe. It is reported of holy Mr. Bradford, that in an hard time he ſold his Chains, Rings, and Jewels to relieve thoſe in want. It is reported of Baſil, that in a famine once he ſold all the lands and goods he had to relieve the poor. I ſhall add no more, but conclude my diſcourſe as that of our Saviour; He that hath ears to hear, let him hear. He that believeth what he hath heard this day, and ſearching the Scripture, finds it true, let him be up and doing accordingly. But if any man believeth not the word of God, nor us his ſervants, but hath a mind to make an experiment, whether Solomon had any warrant from God to tell the world, That he that ſtoppeth his ear to the cry of the poor, he alſo ſhall cry, and not be heard; Let him at his peril try, whether Solomon or he was the wiſer man: I know I have ſpoke to many obedient ears, if there be any other, I ſo far my ſelf am aſſured of what I have ſaid, That in theſe things, Let them do what they pleaſe, I and my houſe ſhall deſire both to obey and fear the Lord.